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enWest Ham 1-3 Crystal Palace: Hammers have become first non ever-present Premier League side to do what?Another profitable road trip for Pardew, as seen through the eyes of free analysis tool Stats Zone...http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/west-ham-1-3-crystal-palace-hammers-have-become-first-non-ever-present-premier-league-side
It's five away victories out of five for Crystal Palace since Alan Pardew's appointment in January, as the Eagles used their set-piece prowess this season to devasatating effect. The Hammers completed twice as many passes as their opponents in the first half (144 to 69) but failed to test Julian Speroni once and were behind at the break thanks to a slapstick goal.
Glenn Murray's downward header from a corner lacked power, but still ended up in the net after Aaron Cresswell's awful slice. The Eagles had started slowly, but ended the opening period having fashioned 8 attempts at goal - 5 of them coming from Murray - with Jason Puncheon the architect of 4 of them.
Two more headers secured the points in the second half; Scott Dann and Murray heading in further expert deliveries from Puncheon, who ended the day with a game-high 12 ball recoveries as well as 3 assists.
After Murray had seen red for a second yellow card, Enner Valencia scored his first Premier League goal since December 1 to reduce the arrears. It was the Hammers' first shot on target at the 10th attempt.
The Eagles have scored 17 goals from set-pieces this season, a Premier League high tally.
Palace led at half-time in a Premier League game for only the second time in 2014/15 (the other being WestBromin October).
Puncheon assisted 3 goals in this game, becoming the first Palace to achieve this in the Premier League. The last Premier League player to do this wasDusanTadic(vs Sunderland in October).
West Ham conceded 3 goals in a Premier League game for the first time since August (vs Southampton).
Valencia scored his first Premier League goal at Upton Park. His previous 3 all came in away games.
Pardew has won 3 consecutive Premier League away games as a manager for the first time.
Palace have won 5 of their last 8 matches in all competitions against West Ham (D2 L1).
The Hammers have lost their 300thPremier League game and become the first non ever-present PL side to reach that figure.
West Ham attempted 22 shots (including blocked) in this game – their joint-highest tally of the Premier League season in a single match.
Analyse West Ham 1-3 Crystal Palace yourself using Stats Zone
featureSat, 28 Feb 2015 15:20:00 +0000Gregg Davies352379 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThe FourFourTwo Preview: Crystal Palace vs ArsenalPremier League | Selhurst Park | Sat 21 Feb | 3pmJoe Brewinhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwo-preview-crystal-palace-vs-arsenal-0
Billed as
YAYA SANOGO CHAOS SQUAD IN DA HOU- oh, he can’t play.
The lowdown
When Alan Pardew took the reins at Crystal Palace in January, the former Selhurst favourite vowed to make things interesting again on his new (old) stomping ground. A team that had scored only three goals in the eight games before his arrival would need considerable sexing up.
“A player or two” would arrive, said the Wimbledon native, before citing the difficulties of bringing in proven Premier League quality up front. By the transfer window’s end, the ex-Newcastle chief had unleashed the frustrations of a shackled spell at St James’ Park by snapping up five new players for the first team, including former Magpie Shola Ameobi and Arsenal youngster Yaya Sanogo on loan – Palace’s fifth and sixth strikers, respectively.
Palace had the raw materials to succeed before Pardew came along, as the likes of Jason Puncheon, Dwight Gayle and Yannick Bolasie have proved in recent weeks. The 53-year-old has simply given them a new lease of life. Since his arrival in south-east London, Palace have picked up 10 points from a possible 15, an immediate upturn which already means the Eagles are already looking up and not down, five points above the relegation zone.
“He is ambitious; we needed a philosophy,” cried James McArthur. “He has installed belief in the players,” Puncheon declared to FFT, before Wilfried Zaha lauded the confidence boost of “a manager who trusts me”. Neil Warnock was a good man to follow indeed, it seems.
Next up for Pardew’s merry men, however, are an Arsenal side unbeaten in their last 11 visits to Selhurst.
Middlesbrough were dispatched in the FA Cup last weekend, after an edgy win over Leicester kept them within two points of third-placed Manchester United. With just five separating Louis van Gaal’s men from seventh-placed Liverpool, whoever blinks next could pay a heavy price.
The Gunners may have an eye on next week’s Champions League clash against Monaco, but first Arsene Wenger has another score to settle with his old mucker in the opposite dugout.
Team news
Sanogo is ineligible due to the terms of his loan deal from the Emirates, but may not have been fit anyway with a hamstring problem. McArthur should return after sitting out the cup defeat to Liverpool, while skipper Mile Jedinak is in line to make his first Palace appearance since December 28 after Asian Cup duty and subsequent ankle knack. Jerome Thomas, meanwhile... wait, he’s still there?
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back for Arsenal after groin troubles, but Aaron Ramsey (hamstring) has recently joined Mikel Arteta (ankle) and Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder) on the mid-to-long-term injury list.
Player to watch: Jason Puncheon (Palace)
Still the Eagles’ biggest and most consistent threat, the former Barnet man is the player most likely to expose Arsenal’s weaknesses on the flanks.
Puncheon is direct but unselfish, and dribbles far less frequently than team-mate Zaha on the opposite side – in Palace’s last league game against Newcastle, Puncheon completed 1 of 2 attempted take-ons compared to Zaha’s 3 of 10.
Yet the elder wideman was far more productive, creating 4 chances with his dangerous set-pieces and drifting inside effectively to give the Magpies extra problems in the middle. Where Zaha waits for support, Puncheon is the support.
The managers
Yes of course it’s too easy to mention Pardew vs Wenger in 2006, but we know you love it.
These days the pair are practically trying to court one another. Before Wenger’s Arsenal faced Pardew’s Newcastle in December, the latter declared that “the stadium should be named after Arsene”.
The Frenchman replied that Pardew had “done very well through a difficult patch at Newcastle, with strength and dignity”.
“We had a problem one time and after we sorted it out,” quipped Wenger. Pardew’s distaste for sexegenerians is over, it seems. Urgh, get a room.
Facts and figures
The Eagles have won just 7 of their 29 Premier League home London derbies.
Arsenal have won just 1 of 12 Premier League games after falling behind this season and that was against Crystal Palace on the opening day of the season.
Arsenal have won 3 of their 6 Premier League London derbies this season and all by a 2-1 scoreline. However, they have yet to keep a clean sheet in a capital clash.
More FFT Stats Zone facts
FourFourTwo prediction
Palace are quite capable of scoring, but Arsenal to edge it 2-1.
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal LIVE ANALYSIS with Stats Zone
featureThu, 19 Feb 2015 16:52:00 +0000Gregg Davies345607 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comJason Puncheon: Pardew gave Palace belief - now we fancy our chances against EvertonThe Eagles winger tells David Morris that the new boss at Selhurst Park has made all the difference...David Morrishttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/jason-puncheon-pardew-gave-palace-belief-now-we-fancy-our-chances-against-everton
A month ago, Crystal Palace were in the relegation zone, having won just one of their previous 12 matches. Now they sit 12th on the back of consecutive league victories. They're also through to the fifth round of the FA Cup. How quickly fortunes can change in football.
Jason Puncheon believes this upturn is down to the instant impact made by new manager Alan Pardew, a man who had already commanded the respect of the Crystal Palace squad before he had even been appointed manager.
Speaking to FourFourTwo, the winger emphasised just how aware everyone at the club was of the “stature” of Pardew when he was appointed. “He has managed in the Premier League for a great period of time and more recently with a club like Newcastle, so that makes players respond.”
The 28-year-old’s comments reflect the positive mood that has swept over Selhurst Park since the return of Pardew, who was a fans’ favourite during his playing days at Palace.
That positivity has spread to the pitch, and speaking on his side’s recent form, Puncheon is clear on why he believes fortunes have changed: “He [Pardew] has installed the belief in the players.”
Palace’s unbeaten record under Pardew so far certainly suggests a reaction to that “belief”, with the 53-year-old guiding the Eagles to FA Cup wins over Dover and Southampton, as well as crucial league victories against Tottenham and Burnley. Those six points have seen Palace begin to steer away from relegation troubles.
Home at the Palace
Having played for 11 different clubs over the course of his career, Puncheon has recently spoken of feeling at “home” playing for Palace, and has been in good form of late - clearly enjoying working with Pardew again, having previously played under him at Southampton. The former Saint has flourished, with his recent display at Burnley leaving Pardew purring that he was “the best player on the pitch by a country mile”.
Yet the winger is all too aware of the need to “take the rough with the smooth”, and such sentiments are clear when listening to Puncheon’s aims for the rest of the campaign.
“The quicker we secure our Premier League status, the better – that is the most important thing and whether that’s three, four, five, six or one game before the end of the season, we will be happy with that.”
He also believes that simply beating the drop is a more realistic target than the “hard task” of bettering last season’s position of 11th.
League ladders and cup runs
The attempts to steer clear of trouble will continue this weekend when Selhurst Park plays host to an Everton team Palace have enjoyed facing since their return to the Premier League, making this a game in which Puncheon says he and his team-mates “fancy our chances”.
While survival is currently top of the agenda, the 28-year-old is unable to hide his excitement at the prospect of a run in the FA Cup. Having beaten Southampton in the last round, the Eagles will have home advantage against either Liverpool or Bolton in the next.
Answering with a smile on his face, the winger stated his belief that Palace have a good chance of progressing. “That's the way that we have to look at it. We have gone through two rounds now and if we win our next two games we will be at Wembley”.
But while the man who has scored in every division of English league football will continue to dream of a trip to Wembley, where he may taste more cup “magic”, his immediate focus is very much on the challenge of maintaining the club’s Premier League status. On his own personal targets, Puncheon is adamant and clear. “For me personally my aims are to do my job as an attacker and help my team stay up. That is the most important thing for me, and if it means that we stay up, then I am more than happy.
Jason Puncheon was speaking at the launch of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s first downloadable content pack, Havoc, which includes four new multiplayer maps and new co-operative mode Exo Zombies. Find out more at www.callofduty.com
featureFri, 30 Jan 2015 13:14:45 +0000James Maw333909 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPuncheon predicts great times for PalaceJason Puncheon has predicted great times ahead for Crystal Palace under the guidance of manager Alan Pardew.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/puncheon-predicts-great-times-palace
Since being confirmed as Neil Warnock's successor at the start of the month, Pardew - who represented Palace during his playing career -has overseen four straight victories in all competitions.
The London club's form has seen them climb to 13th in the Premier League and reach the FA Cup fifth round.
Winger Puncheon, who worked under Pardew when the pair were both at Southampton, believes the upturn is fortunes is no coincidence.
And such is the feel-good factor at Selhurst Park that the 28-year-old claims he wants to stay at the club for the rest of his career.
"I would like to finish my career at the club."he told The Mirror.
"I have been here a long time. I've got this year and three more years and I feel that there are great times ahead.
"I played for the manager in League One at Southampton so I know what he is about. He has come in and asked us to do certain things and the players have all accepted the responsibility.
"Everyone respects him. Everyone has responded to him. He makes us all feel as though we are part of something and that we are all fighting together.
"I'm not surprised by how well we have done since the manager has come in. There are some good players at the club and one thing that people maybe don't appreciate is that we have got a fantastic spirit."
news_articleThu, 29 Jan 2015 08:58:42 +0000333175 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPardew praises Gayle and Puncheon after comebackAlan Pardew heaped praise on Dwight Gayle and Jason Puncheon after the duo inspired Crystal Palace to a 3-2 Premier League win over Burnley.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/pardew-praises-gayle-and-puncheon-after-comeback-win
Alan Pardew lauded the qualities of Dwight Gayle and Jason Puncheon after the pair inspired Crystal Palace to come from twodown against Burnley to secure a dramatic 3-2 Premier League victory.
Palace fell behind to goals from Ben Mee and Danny Ings inside the opening 16 minutes at Turf Moor, but pulled one back before the half-hour mark when Gayle struck.
Puncheon levelled matters early in the second half before setting up Gayle for his second three minutes from time.
Pardew was fulsome in his praise of both players, who were also on the scoresheet in last weekend's 2-1 victory over Tottenham.
"He [Gayle] seems a very uncomplicated player to me," Pardew said. "He's very straightforward in his work.
"He's quick, good in the air and has two feet... blimey, there's not much more you could want is there really?
"He's got a good attitude, all he needs is experience and to grow in his confidence.
"Like Puncheon -when I had him at Southampton he wasn't the player he is today.
"Because he's played in the Premier League he's got that inner confidence that he can play at this level and that's what players like Dwight Gayle need to find."
Pardew has now won all three of his matches since taking over from Neil Warnock, and the former Newcastle United boss believes a fresh appointment can help the players get over certain mental hurdles.
Palace had not scored a Premier League goal away from home since November until Saturday's game, and Pardewfeels a fresh outlook helped his players when they went behind.
"Sometimes that's the benefit of a new manager," he said. "That [their failure to score away from home] isnot in the memory bank, I'm just wanting to get back in the game [when they fell two down] and give them different signals.
"But also the work we did this week was very much on offensive play and I felt we would score today."
news_articleSat, 17 Jan 2015 18:22:37 +0000326027 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThe FourFourTwo Preview: Hull vs Crystal PalacePremier League | KC Stadium | Sat 4 Oct | 3pmJonathan Fadugbahttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwo-preview-hull-vs-crystal-palace-0
Billed as
With six games on Saturday and not a plum tie in sight, a rare opportunity for Hull and Palace to grab top billing on Match of the Day. Over to you, gents...
The lowdown
Six games into the season and what have Hull achieved? Not much, really. All their excitement this campaign was supposed to come via adventurous escapades to random European outposts in the Europa League, a season of exploration and self-discovery, the exotic, mouth-watering banquet after the toil of last season's battle to both the FA Cup final and hard-fought survival.
Instead, the Tigers were knocked out by Lokeren in the qualifiers, and have so far trudged their way to six uneventful league points by way of an opening-day win at QPR and three draws.
Hull have been nondescript in almost every way in 2014/15. They are the queue for a cash machine or the decision to park in a different bay at work for a change. Hull are this season's Lighthouse Family.
Thus far there's been no real chaos and not much new. Hull look capable of survival but, for the moment, without the sense-heightening terror that they could go down.
Abel Hernandez is about the only man capable of shattering the monotony that has gripped Hull's start to the season, and the Uruguayan is doing a good job of it at the moment with two goals and some neat dance moves. Mohamed Diame has played his part too.
Crystal Palace experienced that terror before the season even started thanks to Lord Pulis and his sudden disappearance.
Defeats to Arsenal and West Ham under caretaker Keith Millen created the dread that is essential to any uplifting tale of survival; the losses paving the way for Neil Warnock to make a triumphant return.
Unbeaten in the league since, a brilliant win at Everton a fortnight ago was then followed by a sturdy, clinical display in dispatching Leicester 2-0 last weekend. Palace may only be two points ahead of Hull heading into the weekend, but the story to their season has crammed in much more drama.
Palace are unbeaten in their last eight league games against Hull, winning both games last season 1-0. Bruce's side also haven't won any of their last five home games, so while his team have a point to prove, the men from Selhurst Park will look to approach the game with the same enthusiasm and optimism that proved so rewarding at Goodison Park on their last away trip a fortnight ago.
Team news
Allan McGregor is nursing a sore shoulder and Robert Snodgrass remains a long-term absentee, but David Meyler could be available for selection again for Hull after recovering from a back injury.
Warnock has a fully-fit squad to choose from for Palace, and could give Andy Johnson his first minutes in his second spell back at the club, after rejoining in a player-coach capacity in the summer. Johnson, 33, scored for Palace's U21s against Coventry earlier this week, and while Warnock has admitted the player is still well short of match fitness, he could be involved from the bench.
Player to watch: Jason Puncheon (Palace)
After hitting 7 goals and 4 assists last season, including 4 goals in April during a crucial run of wins that effectively kept Palace in the Premier League, Puncheon has picked up where he left off in 2014/15.
New season, new manager, but same old Puncheon: the 28-year-old has registered 3 assists and 1 goal in 5 appearances, helping the Eagles go four games unbeaten. In fact, Arsenal are the only team to beat Palace this season when Puncheon has played, the former MK Dons, Barnet, Southampton, Blackpool, Plymouth (pause for breath), Millwall and QPR man not involved in the West Ham and Newcastle cup reversals.
Puncheon doesn't just add an important creative streak to Palace's game, he's also a vital cog in their defensive setup. An element of his game that goes oft unnoticed is how he presses, chases and harasses opposition defenders and midfielders, making life difficult for them and forcing them into mistakes
In the 3-2 win at Everton, he pick-pocketed Leon Osman high up the field before playing in Yannick Bolasie for the decisive third goal and also hassled Christian Atsu into giving the ball away in the first half, a defensive effort that ended up with Bolasie clipping the crossbar with a shot from distance.
While some English players walk into Roy Hodgson's squad simply by virtue of changing the colour of their shirt (*cough* Calum Chambers *cough*), Puncheon is one of those players - like the Swansea boys - who continues to be overlooked. His creative productivity over the last two seasons far outweighs Andros Townsend's, for one, yet Townsend somehow strolls into the England squad. Regardless, Puncheon will be an important player for Palace again this weekend.
The managers
It'll be all warm handshakes and 'how's your family?'s on Saturday. Warnock lavished Bruce with praise this week, stating his belief that the man with the nose pointing in a thousand directions should have won last season's Manager of the Year award ahead of his Eagles predecessor Pulis. "I know Tony got Manager of the Year but I thought Bruce was head and shoulders the best manager around," Warnock commented in his pre-match press conference. "To make a club like Hull comfortable in the Premier League and get to the FA Cup final - I thought that was fantastic. He's done an incredible job."
Facts and figures
The away side had a player sent off in both Premier League meetings between these two sides last season which were both won 1-0 by Palace.
Hull have won just 1 of their last 11 Premier League matches since their FA Cup semi-final win in April (W1 D4 L6).
Mile Jedinak has made more tackles (33) and interceptions (23) than any other player this season in the Premier League.
More FFT Stats Zone facts
FourFourTwo prediction
Another draw for the Tigers. 2-2.
Back 2-2 at 16/1 with Bet365. Odds right at time of publication
Hull vs Crystal Palace LIVE ANALYSIS with Stats Zone
featureFri, 03 Oct 2014 11:01:00 +0000Gregg Davies261147 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comWarnock waxes lyrical over Palace wide duoNeil Warnock paid tribute to Crystal Palace wingers Jason Puncheon and Yannick Bolasie for their role in the 2-0 win over Leicester City.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/warnock-waxes-lyrical-over-wide-duo
Palace made it back-to-back victoriesin the Premier League as second-half goals from Fraizer Campbell and captain Mile Jedinak earned the hosts a first triumph atSelhurst Park this season.
Puncheon had a role in both of Palace's goals, first providing the corner from which Scott Dann nodded back across goal allowing Campbell to score from close range, before his 54th-minute free-kick was headed home byJedinak.
Bolasie, too, was a constant threat for the hosts and Palace manager Warnock - who has gone four Premier League matches unbeaten since returning as boss last month - was thrilled with their impact.
"Ifeltthe wide players could win us the game," he said. "Alright the goals were set-pieces, but Ithought they were a threat throughout the game.
"He's [Puncheon]probably not getting as much of the limelight as Yannick but as I've said to him he's more of a marked man this year.
"[But] when they mark Jason as tight as they do, they leave Yannick unmarked so it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. Iwouldn't want to mark either of them at the moment.They're very difficult to play against."
Warnock also insistedthat there is no lingering bad blood between himself and Puncheon despite the latter's Twitter outburst last season.
Puncheon was fined £15,000 in March of last year after launching a tirade against Warnock, who had criticised the player'spenalty missin a Premier League clash against Tottenham.
Asked how the two settled their differences, Warnock replied:"We had an evening meal together, we talked about it.
"Ithink he's enjoying it here, you do have bust-ups, you say things and Ithink he got told the wrong end of the tale at the time really.But Ithink the last couple of years he's been phenomenal."
news_articleSat, 27 Sep 2014 17:29:36 +0000259811 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comWarnock has no issues with PuncheonNew Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock insists he has no problem with Jason Puncheon, despite the wingers Twitter outburst last season.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/warnock-has-no-issues-puncheon
Puncheon was fined £15,000 and warned about his conduct after a tirade aimed at Warnock in March following criticism of the former Blackpool wideman's woeful penalty miss in a Premier League clash at Tottenham.
Warnock, who returned for a second spell as Palace boss on Wednesday, had said on talkSPORT: "There's no way I would've trusted him with a penalty.
"You've got to have somebody a little bit more cool, and he's not like that, Jason.
"He can whack a 35-yard free-kick in here and there but a penalty, with all the pressure on him at a place like White Hart Lane - not in a million years for me."
That prompted an angry reaction from Puncheon on social media, but Warnock is not dwelling on the past and revealed that the 28-year-old will be in contention to face Newcastle United on Saturday in his first game back at the helm.
"Me and Jason Puncheon have had a good talk and I'm delighted with him. If he gets his head right, he's as good as any in the league," said Warnock.
"He's a really good chap, he will be involved in Saturday."
news_articleThu, 28 Aug 2014 18:55:34 +0000240844 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comReport card: Palaces Eagles find their wings under Pulis Joe Brewin reflects on the Eagles season of surprises, after Tony Pulis steals the show at Selhurst Park...Joe Brewinhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/report-card-palaces-eagles-find-their-wings-under-pulis
The lowdown
A tale of two managers for the Eagles; Crystal Palace B.P. (Before Pulis) were nailed-on certainties to drop until their tracksuit-clad knight rode into Selhurst Park and freed them of their impending doom.
Under Ian Holloway, and briefly caretaker Keith Millen, Palace suffered. After 11 games they were plonked joint-bottom alongside Sunderland, having won once (against the Black Cats) and lost nine times. Goals were in desperately short supply – just seven, by that point – and although that remained the case all season, the solidity and organisation instilled by their new man was exceptional.
The south Londoners’ transformation, into a team with genuine threat from pacy widemen, was nothing short of miraculous.
A hypothetical Premier League table of results since Pulis’s appointment has Palace in eighth (a point ahead of his former club Stoke), not least thanks to a brilliant run of five straight wins between March and April which confirmed their top-flight status for at least another year. In 26 games under Pulis, Palace piled up 38 points - not just a survival total, but a rate of point accretion which would have produced a top-eight finish in four of the previous five seasons.
Pulis didn’t like what he saw at first – indeed, it took a great deal of persuasion for him to take the job – but with limited resources he eventually made these ailing birds soar. A defence conceding two goals per game upon his arrivalwas refined until, by the season’s end, that ratio was halved. Sure, they’ve only averaged a goal per game in that time (26 in 26), but 10 clean sheets have proved just how difficult they’ve been to beat: only Chelsea and Arsenal boast more in that time.
In the end the table reads 11th – and that is quite something.
Would they have taken this in August?
Hells yeah. They’d have taken 17th back in August – six places higher was beyond any Palace fan’s wildest dreams.
Would they have taken this in January?
At the turn of the New Year they were 17th, out of the bottom three on goal difference. By their busy deadline day – when in came Scott Dann, Tom Ince (loan) and Joe Ledley – they’d lifted themselves to 14th. Despite already being in the ascendancy, improving on that took things to a new level.
High point
Beating Chelsea to kick-start that five-game run was special, but seeing off Everton at Goodison Park two games later effectively confirmed the Eagles’ stay in the top flight. It came against a Toffees side fresh from trashing Arsenal and then beating Sunderland, and was done convincingly – the Eagles were two up four minutes after half-time, 3-1 up after 73 minutes, and didn’t cave when Kevin Mirallas made things interesting in the 86th minute.
Low point
A 4-1 battering from Fulham at Selhurst Park was the final act of Ian Holloway's spell – two days later the rent-a-quote Bristolian was gone. “Ian's been very noble,” said chairman Steve Parish. “He's come forward and said: 'I can't do it.' I've spent three days trying to get Ian in the frame of mind that he can do it.” The Eagles chairman will be chuffed he failed with that one. For what it’s worth, the scoreline hadn’t exactly reflected the play in this game; you may remember the Cottagers’ pair of howitzers from Pajtim Kasami and Steve Sidwell.
Hero of the season
Pulis has this one in the bag, but on the pitch there have been a number of unlikely heroes for the south Londoners. Julian Speroni scooped the club’s player-of-the-year gong, but it could easily have gone to skipper Mile Jedinak, right-back Joel Ward or Jason Puncheon, the latter of who has scored seven goals in crucial games – not least against the likes of Aston Villa, Cardiff and Hull.
Villain of the season
It’s a little harsh to pin all of the blame on Holloway; it was always going to take Palace time to find their feet, particularly after a poor end to the previous season before their play-off victory. But they were dreadful across the board under his stewardship, and the haywire summer transfer activity was damaging. Of the 14 players who came in, two weren’t picked in the Eagles’ Premier League squad (Dobbie, Marange), three were let go in January (Marange, Phillips, Grandin) and another three loaned out (Hunt, Campana, Kebe). He left a mess behind.
The season in a microcosm
April’s 1-0 win at West Ham summed up everything Palace have been good at this season under Pulis. They didn’t enjoy oodles of possession, were forced to punt umpteen balls back out of their own box, but remained organised and tough to crack for 90 minutes. When they got their chance – a Mile Jedinak penalty an hour in – they took it.
FFT grade
B. Results-wise, what more could they have asked for? A fine recovery, but they'll surely need more goals next season.
SEE ALSORead FFT's report cards for the other 19 Premier League teams
featureMon, 12 May 2014 07:05:00 +0000Joe Brewin169427 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThe FourFourTwo Preview: West Ham vs Crystal PalacePremier League | Upton Park | Sat 19 Apr | 3pmNick Ameshttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwo-preview-west-ham-vs-crystal-palace
Billed as
A snug fireside chat between erstwhile relegation rivals.
The lowdown
This all looks rather too cosy. Just a couple of months ago, we looked set pretty fair for a white-knuckle ride when these two locked horns – a grapple overseen by two managers who co-wrote the book on doing whatever it takes to keep their clubs in the Premier League.
No need for any of that ‘blood and thunder’ malarkey here, though – not now. With four games to go, West Ham and Crystal Palace stand chummily abreast in mid-table, the Hammers safe enough with 37 points and their visitors sitting pretty on a once-unlikely 40.
You could make a case for Sam Allardyce’s side needing another point or two to stave off the mother of all recoveries from… well… almost everyone below them, but in practice the ‘magical’ survival threshold Palace reached on Wednesday night has only been required once in the last 10 years. They’ll be fine, and the task now is to give the Upton Park faithful a sign there will be something rather less attritional to enjoy next season.
Accordingly, these two spent their midweek doing more to interfere with The Battle For Fourth than with the relegation dogfight.
Palace’s deserved 3-2 win at Goodison Park made it four in a row and, remarkably, 36 points from Pulis’s 25 matches in charge.
In their manager’s mould, they look rigorously organised and lightning quick to regroup after losing possession, but it hasn’t exactly been recognisable Pulisball going forward. The Eagles play some entertaining stuff, and there were long periods when they played Everton at their own game on Wednesday night.
Joe Ledley controlled the midfield while ex-Plymouth pair Jason Puncheon and Yannick Bolasie ran amok down the flanks, often brought into the game by Marouane Chamakh’s intelligence. Palace work feverishly hard, and it’s not exactly an affront to the eye.
The Hammers enjoyed a four-game winning streak of their own in February, but things have tailed off since. Tuesday’s defeat at Arsenal was their fifth in the last seven, and it felt rather like an opportunity missed.
Matt Jarvis’s deadlock-breaker was merited, but West Ham have an unfortunate knack – surprising in an Allardyce side – for conceding at critical times and once Lukas Podolski had equalised just before the break, the strut that had been apparent against a manifestly uncertain home team quickly faded away.
When West Ham’s sturdy, direct approach works, its effectiveness is hard to dispute; when some of the vigour disappears, they’re just rather lumbering. Palace feel somewhat fresher when they click into gear – not for Pulis the policy of enlisting fading Serie A stars for a January lift – and would appear better placed to push on next season at current rate of knots.
This term’s job has, on both sides and to differing degrees of satisfaction, very much been done.
Team news
Palace will wait on Kagisho Dikgacoi, who missed out at Everton with a hamstring injury. They’ll also need to see how Adrian Mariappa, who did well at right-back on Wednesday before having to go off, responds. It’s hard to see them making too many changes, though – it was pretty much the perfect away performance on Merseyside. The hosts will hope to see Kevin Nolan back from a hamstring problem of his own. Marco Borriello is still out, but George McCartney and Joey O’Brien may be closer to inclusion.
Player to watch: Jason Puncheon (Palace)
“Puncheon for England!” Well, steady on, but some of the cries for his international involvement after Wednesday night’s display were only half-joking. An excellent goal – think a left-footed version of Philippe Coutinho’s winner last Sunday – and a canny assist for Cameron Jerome underscored the thought that, finally, this most frustrating of wingers has found a place to call home.
Now at his 10th club, loans included, managers have found Puncheon’s talent seductive and untameable in equal measure, but his form at Palace since signing a permanent deal in January has been outstanding. Seven goals this year, four of them in the last three games, point to a man who, at nearly 28, is realising his potential at last. His season could have been defined by Neil Warnock’s questioning of his penalty-taking cojones, but another few weeks of this and Roy Hodgson might, at least, have a new contender for his standby list.
The managers
Palace lost nine of their first 10 league games this season, and drew their 11th. What Pulis has achieved since then is nothing short of remarkable, and the last five months have completely revitalised his reputation after a dreary final couple of years at Stoke.
For Allardyce, things have plateaued. He probably won’t get away with another half season of this, with the Upton Park crowd quick to turn and clubs of similar size adopting far more progressive on-pitch methods. There’s a suspicion that he and the Hammers might have travelled as far as they can together.
A Chamakh goal in December drew first blood for Pulis in this season’s battle between the pair. Their previous Premier League meetings were all between Blackburn and Stoke, who met in Allardyce’s first match in charge at Ewood Park. That finished 3-0 to Rovers, but Stoke won three and drew one of their next four meetings – without conceding a goal.
Facts and figures
Palace have scored 6 goals in their last 2 away games – as many as they’ve managed in their previous 15 away combined.
7 of Palace’s last 9 away matches have had more goals in the secondhalf than the first.
West Ham are unbeaten at home this season against teams in the bottom half (W5 D3 L0) as they were last season (W6 D4 L0).
10 of West Ham’s last 15 home games have had at least 3 goals.
Best Bet: Over 3.5 Goals @ 4.20
More FFT Stats Zone facts•Find the best odds with Bet Butler
FourFourTwo prediction
West Ham could need this ever so slightly more, but then so did Everton on Wednesday night. Palace to keep their good form going; the Hammers to rediscover a semblance of theirs. 1-1.
West Ham vs Crystal Palace LIVE ANALYSIS with Stats Zone
featureThu, 17 Apr 2014 16:05:00 +0000Gregg Davies154562 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPulis praises players for Palace revivalTony Pulis has credited his players for helping him to steer Crystal Palace to the cusp of Premier League survival.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/pulis-praises-players-palace-revival
Palace lost nine of their opening 10 games of the season, but they have won nine of Pulis 21 matches in charge.
Saturdays 1-0 win at home to Aston Villa, which was clinched by Jason Puncheons 76th-minute strike, lifted Palace to 12th, seven points clear of the relegation zone.
And Pulis has hailed the attitude of his squad and their efforts to ensure they do not return to the Championship at the first time of asking.
We had three points out of a possible 30 (at the start of the season), said the Welshman. Its been really encouraging.
Youve got to give credit to the players. You can come in as a manager and put a philosophy into a football club, but if the players dont agree with it, or take to it, it can cost you your job.
These lot have really, really enjoyed it I think. Theyve enjoyed the work.
Pulis was pleased with Palaces performance against Villa, and believes all his players deserve praise for the victory, not just Puncheon, who has now scored three in his last two games.
It was a fantastic result, he added.
I thought we stared slowly - the first 20 minutes was as slow as weve started at home. They built quite a bit of momentum without causing us too many problems.
I dont think Julian (Speroni) had a save to make during that period, but they had control of the game.
From that point onwards I felt we worked our way back into the game, and the last 20 minutes of the first half I thought we were stronger.
(In the) second half, I thought we were the better team. We hit the post, we hit the bar, and we created numerous opportunities from good wing play.
Hes done fantastic, Punch (Puncheon), but ... I think the whole group, the way they work - (when) we lose the ball, the way they work to get back into shape, the way they work to help one another ... is pretty inspiring. That teamwork ethic has got us where we are.
news_articleSat, 12 Apr 2014 18:54:24 +0000153128 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comWe are not safe yet - PuncheonJason Puncheon believes Crystal Palace still have work to do to ensure Premier League survival and attributed his own form to self-belief.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/we-are-not-safe-yet-puncheon
The 27-year-old winger scored the only goal in a 1-0 home win against Aston Villa on Saturday, the clubs third triumph in a row following successes against Chelsea and Cardiff City.
The win lifted Tony Pulis side to 12th, seven points clear of the relegation zone, and although they have a game in hand on Fulham and Cardiff, who are both in the bottom three, Puncheon has warned against complacency.
Its a great win, just like the two we had before, but weve got to forget about that now and look forward to Everton on Wednesday, said Puncheon, who joined Palace permanently in January.
Were not safe until its mathematically impossible to go down. Weve just got to keep going until we reach that point.
We dont get carried away. Those games are gone. Weve got to go to Everton and then West Ham after that, so weve got two tough away games in the next week.
Puncheons low 76th-minute strike was his third goal in two games and his sixth in 2014, and he believes his fine form is down to confidence.
Its just belief youve got to believe in yourself. A few games back the manager said I had things on my mind and didnt play me, but since then Ive bounced back, which has been great, he added.
With the goal, I knew that as soon as the ball came on my side that Id get my body in the way and look to get my shot off. Thats what Ive done and obviously weve scored.
Pulis lauded Puncheon earlier in the week and said he expects offers from big clubs for the player in the close-season. The player returned the praise for his manager following the victory over Villa.
If you look at the position that we were in when he came and what hes done to this team, we all have the belief that we will stay in the Premier League now, he continued.
news_articleSat, 12 Apr 2014 18:08:52 +0000153110 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThe FourFourTwo Preview: Crystal Palace vs Aston VillaPremier League | Selhurst Park | Sat 12 Apr | 3:07pmNick Harperhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwo-preview-crystal-palace-vs-aston-villa
Billed as
A chance for the Eagles to unexpectedly soar higher – against a dispirited and depleted opposition.
The lowdown
At first glance, Tony Pulis and the ancient Greek philosopher Hesiod share very little in common. One is a bespectacled Welshman who wears a sports cap and shouts a lot, the other a wise old scholar with a beard and flowing hair who did much of his best work sometime between 750 and 650BC.
They would never be mistaken for one another in a police line-up, but they do share one key thing in common. A great philosophy. "Observe due measure," said Hesiod many years ago, "for timing is in all things the most important factor." And indeed it is. As all good comics, porn stars and the Crystal Palace manager know, timing is absolutely everything.
Just a few short weeks ago, Crystal Palace appeared to be sliding down the table towards the dead men. Five games, two draws and three defeats suggested the spirited revival under Pulis had run out of puff and run its course.
True, Pulis had bolted Palace tight at the back (they conceded just five goals in those five games), but they couldn't hit a camel’s backside with a banjo (those five games yielded just one goal). Things were so bad at one point that even Newcastle United beat them, and the doom-mongers feared the worst.
Yet Pulis remained calm, keeping his bald head and Hesiod’s sage words in mind. "Observe due measure, y'know," he told reporters. "For timing is, if you like, in all things, to be fair, the most important factor... at the end of the day." Now obviously that quote has been embellished to keep a flimsy conceit going, but the fact remains that Pulis understands timing is everything. Palace ended that wobble by beating Chelsea 1-0.
And even though they still couldn't score a goal when winning, they deserved it. Then, when it really mattered, in one of the many six-point skirmishes taking place at the bottom right now, they went to Cardiff last weekend and as good as relegated them with a performance quite out of character – they scored three times.
Timing this burst to absolute perfection, Palace are now as good as safe as they entertain an Aston Villa side whose performance in defeat at home to Fulham last Saturday drew comparisons with the very worst days under Alex McLeish. Villa will be grateful they face Palace at Selhurst Park and not in front of their own dispirited and disgruntled supporters – the Fulham defeat was the 10th time in 17 games that Villa have been beaten at home this season. Not even ‘Big Eck’ achieved that.
That said, while Palace could be 10 points clear of the final relegation place by the final whistle on Saturday night, vaulting Villa in the table and sitting as high as 12th, until safety is mathematically certain, they will not be popping any corks.
Twenty-one long years ago, during the very first Premier League season (go ask Granddad, kids), Crystal Palace under Steve Coppell appeared safe with two games to go. If they took two points, they would send Oldham down – the Latics needed three wins from their final three games and a monumental miracle. As it turned out, Palace took a single point, Oldham won all three, and the rest is history.
If Pulis masterminds survival, it will maintain his record of never having been relegated. More than that, though, it would be the first time Palace have remained in the Premier League for more than a single season after four instant relegations. And Hesiod would stroke his beard in admiration at that.
Team news
In stark contrast to the visitors, Palace have few injury worries. Only Dwight Gayle is missing. A fit-again Marouane Chamakh is vying for a start. Christian Benteke won’t play again for between six and eight months but Grant Holt will be hoping to keep his place after scoring his first goal for the club last weekend. Fabian Delph, Karim El Ahmadi and Gabriel Agbonlahor all missed the Fulham game but are sniffing a start.
Player to watch: Jason Puncheon (Palace)
Pulis spoke glowingly of Joe Ledley's creative contribution in the 3-0 win at Cardiff, and rightly so, but the real plaudits belonged to Puncheon. Picking up where he left off against Chelsea the previous weekend, Puncheon ran the game for Palace, scoring twice and being central to everything for the visitors.
In a team that struggles to score, Puncheon’s goals were vital and now put him level on five with top scorer Chamakh. But the midfielder's creativity was really key.Puncheon dominated all the big stats against Cardiff – 6 shots, all on target; most passes (35/41); most chances created (3) – and should again pose the greatest threat.
The managers
Had Pulis been blessed with a larger squad of better players, he might have found himself tinkering with his team during that winless run. But, having been dealt a limited (but willing) hand, he's kept faith with his team, stayed true to his dogged dogs of war blueprint, kept two defensive midfielders protecting a well-drilled back four and watched at Cardiff as his offensive-minded outfield players operated with a fluidity most out of keeping with their season. Yet he remains cautious by nature. “We still have a lot of work to do,” he urged.
Opposite number Paul Lambert is dour by default so found little to enjoy in the defeat to Fulham. "I'd have settled for a draw," he harrumphed, of the game against the bottom side. In Lambert's defence, a long injury list has deprived the Scot of a number of key players – Benteke's Achilles being the latest setback. He plans to go cap in hand and ask Randy Lerner for money to strengthen in the summer, which suggests he at least is planning for another season. If the lethargy continues, Randy may beg to differ.
Facts and figures
Tony Pulis has been at Crystal Palace for 20 games and in that time Palace have been the 8thbest team in the league as only Chelsea and Man City have conceded fewer goals.
Palace have won 5 of their last 6 home games against bottom-half teams including three 1-0s.
There have been fewer than 3 goals in 5 of Villa’s 7 trips to bottom-half teams this season.
Villa have been level at half-time in half their games this season – only 3 teams have had more HT draws.
Best Bet: Half Time Draw @ 4.45
More FFT Stats Zone facts • Find the best odds with Bet Butler
FourFourTwo prediction
The Eagles are flying and should have too much for the visitors. 2-0.
Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa LIVE ANALYSIS with Stats Zone
featureFri, 11 Apr 2014 07:01:00 +0000Gregg Davies151333 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBennett wary of threat posed by PuncheonJoe Bennett is wary of the threat posed by Jason Puncheon as Aston Villa prepare to visit Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bennett-wary-puncheon-threat
Puncheon scored twice in Palace's 3-0 win at Cardiff City last time out, a result that lifted Tony Pulis' men to 14th, level with Villaon 34 points.
And ahead of his side's trip to Selhurst Park at the weekend, Bennett earmarked stopping Puncheon as they key to quelling Palace's threat.
"I have played against Jason before," he told Villa's official website. "He's a difficult player.
"You never know what he's going to do. He's quick, strong and full of tricks. It will be tough.
"He pulls the strings for them. He scores goals and he creates goals. He is influential.
"He plays wide but he comes inside a lot. If I play, hopefully I can put another good performance and keep him quiet."
news_articleThu, 10 Apr 2014 10:59:04 +0000151862 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPulis salutes Palace defending, PuncheonTony Pulis lauded Crystal Palace's focus and two-goal hero Jason Puncheon following Saturday's 3-0 win at Cardiff City.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/pulis-salutes-palace-defending-puncheon
The result lifted Palace up to 14th, seven points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, and Pulis was delighted his side did not let their surprise 1-0 win over Chelsea last weekend go to their heads.
You get a great result against Chelsea and its a little like after the Lord Mayors show, he said. Weve been banging on about that all week not taking our foot off the pedal. Weve gone out there and we havent let that happen.
Victory over Cardiff was aided by Palaces third clean sheet in four games, and Pulis explained tightening up the defence had been a priority when he replaced Ian Holloway as manager in November.
When I took over we were conceding a lot of goals, he said. We were conceding a lot in the early stages of games. To stay in games you have to keep it tight. Clean sheets for us are very important.
We defended fantastically. They sent a lot of balls into the box, but we dealt with everything. The two central midfielders were fantastic too, and we looked good on the break.
Palaces biggest threat on the counter-attack at the Cardiff City Stadium was Puncheon, who opened the scoring with a firm low drive before sealing the win with a brilliant 20-yard strike after Joe Ledley had made it 2-0.
In the first 10 minutes, 15 minutes, he was so sloppy, said Pulis of his winger. But hes a wonderful player, hes got great ability. I was very happy with the two goals.
But weve got a lot of work to do [to stay up]. Some results today have brought the pack together.
news_articleSat, 05 Apr 2014 17:28:55 +0000149358 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com